Clippers are work in progress

Oct. 27, 2013

Updated 5:27 p.m.

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Sacramento Kings power forward Jason Thompson (right) is guarded byClippers small forward Matt Barnes during on Friday at Staples Center. As the regular season approaches, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said his team still needs to work on several areas. Defense could be one of them. The Clippers gave up 110 points in the game against the Kings. MARK J. TERRILL, AP

Sacramento Kings power forward Jason Thompson (right) is guarded byClippers small forward Matt Barnes during on Friday at Staples Center. As the regular season approaches, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said his team still needs to work on several areas. Defense could be one of them. The Clippers gave up 110 points in the game against the Kings. MARK J. TERRILL, AP

PLAYA VISTA – Two days before the regular-season opener and Doc Rivers concedes the Clippers still have work to do. What exactly?

Everything, he said before Sunday’s practice.

“It’s just basketball,” Rivers said. “There’s not an area that we can’t improve in ever. You’ll hear that all year. I’m not going to get too deep. Hopefully there is one thing we know we have to work on – that would be terrific.”

Their defense would be a good place to start. The Clippers gave up 110 points to the Sacramento Kings in their exhibition finale Friday, exposing a potential trouble spot.

Rivers said after the game he thought the team “took a step back” defensively but wasn’t in panic mode. He figured to see defensive lapses throughout the season because of the ups and downs of the game.

“We have a pretty good understanding offensively and defensively of what we’re trying to do,” Blake Griffin said. “I think we definitely need to fine-tune some things and make them a little bit better.

“For the most part, we’re getting the stuff down so we have a base to go off of.”

WHAT RIVARLY?

For the past nine years, Rivers has been a part of the storied Celtics-Lakers rivalry, adding two NBA Finals battles to the history of the series.

But Clippers vs. Lakers?

Rivers said the burgeoning L.A. city rivalry can’t compare to the decades-old Lakers-Celtics rivalry.

“Is there a special trophy if we win the game?” he asked reporters. “We don’t get a trophy or a bell or anything?

“Obviously the Lakers-Celtics thing -- you’re not going to duplicate that anywhere,” he added. “But, I always look at everyone as the opponent. I don’t really have a hard time trying to beat my opponent…. It’s just the other team.”

The Lakers lead the all-time series, 111-43 since the Clippers moved to San Diego, and hold a 97-33 edge since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles. The Clippers, however, have won five of the past seven games.

COLLISON READY?

Rivers said that everyone is healthy, including point guard Darren Collison, who missed Friday’s game because of a bruised left kneecap.

Collison, who banged knees with Utah’s Gordon Haywood last Wednesday, said he plans on playing in the opener despite one problem.

“I can’t really run, but I’m about to find out in practice,” said Collison, who managed to score 14 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter of the Clippers’ victory against the Jazz.

OPENING NIGHT

Griffin, who is entering his fourth season, said he still gets excited about opening night, no matter who they play. The Clippers open the regular season against the Lakers.

“The beginning of the season is always exciting,” Griffin said. “It seems each year I get less and less excited about the preseason and more and more excited about the regular season. But the preseason is important and we accomplished some thing we needed to.”

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